Our Family Photos

 I got our family photos back Saturday, and I've spent way too much time looking at them. I just love them and cannot get enough!

 

Our Memorial Day weekend was kind of a bust. My husband worked all weekend. We are very, very blessed though, as Nick received a promotion recently. We had been praying for a long time that he would get this job. It is a wonderful opportunity, and a real answer to prayer.

 

I had to work on Monday. All we really did over the weekend was have a small cookout for just the two of us, watch a movie, and go to church.

 

Here are our new photos! It was important to me to include our dogs. These were taken at Folly Beach. I have never spent much time at FB. In fact, I think I've only been there once before our photos, and that was in high school when I was visiting a friend at C of C. I really fell in love on this trip, and want to go back. Nick absolutely loved it as well, and we may or may not have looked at fliers for homes for sale just for fun.

 

I also wanted to wear my Lilly because I love it. I may or may not have a cover up (I wear the tank dress as a cover up) and bathing suit on it's way to me now. Online shopping is generally not advised for those about to quit their job...

 

Happy Hump Day everyone!

 

Hapy Memorial Day & My Cinco de Mayo Dress - a few days late!

First of all, happy Memorial Day. May we never forget those who have sacrificed their lives in service to our great nation.  

//picture I took last year in DC//   This is a few days late, but I wanted to share my new eShakti dress with y'all. While everyone else enjoyed queso and margaritas on Cindo de Mayo (two of my favorite things!), I took a final after work. I was feeling festive in this gorgeous embroidered dress from eShakti, however! I thought it was perfect to wear for Cinco De Mayo.  

 

eShakti is a company that offers a variety of different dress styles that are custom made using your measurements. The wedges I wore are several years old, and they worked perfectly. I love them and never get to wear them.

 

  I went with a dress that was different for me - a new shape altogether than I normally wear. I usually wear shift dresses, sheath dresses, or maxi dresses. I never wear a full skirt, even though these are in right now - because I am self conscious about my size. I am happy to say that I felt more comfortable and liked this shape way more than I thought I would!   I might even try wearing  fuller skirt like this with a cropped top like girls are doing now. I've seen it on girls that it looks so good on.   If you are interested in eShakti, right now my readers have a discount coupon! Type 'sassysouthernbride'' from 05/09/ 2015 to 06/09/2015. 

Thanks so much for reading and enjoy your Memorial Day!  

Summer Plans!

Are all of y'all getting excited for an epic summer? I know I am. I am so excited about the big changes ahead, and I feel like this will be one of the best summers ever.  

  Quitting my job is a huge life change for me. I've worked since I started babysitting at age 12. I was working at the Islander the summer I turned 17, and I've had a job pretty much ever since.   I am leaving my job for a required summer clinical. I am now halfway through my program (!!), and one step closer to my dream of being an SLP. I feel very relieved about having less stress and more time in life.   Here is a little timeline, just to keep myself straight:   6/1-6/5: my last full week at work (plus dentist and hair appointments) 6/7-6/11: VBS at our church every evening Tuesday 6/9: my last day at work! Wednesday 6/10: Our godson's FIRST birthday party! (a sub will fill in for me at VBS this night) 6/12-6-/14 Atlanta for Kenny Chesney and Eric Church Monday 6/15: I report at my clinical Tuesday 6/16: Students first day!   I still do not know a lot of details about my placement this summer (which drives me crazy). Our camp should last six weeks, so I am expecting it to be over the last week of July. The hours are supposed to be 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday-Friday. A lot of the information I have is hearsay from the cohort ahead of my class.   I am working at a camp held by a school district for children who qualify to receive speech services over the summer. This is similar to student teaching in that it is unpaid, but I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.   In fact, as the beginning of my clinical is approaching, I find myself with an overwhelming sense of gratefulness that I am able to have this opportunity. In my past I made poor choices that I’ve suffered the consequences for, and my life in undergrad through my early-mid twenties was a mess. Left in rubble. But God has brought me through hard times, and I am so excited for what He has in store for the future.   Leaving my job is bittersweet. While I do not exactly enjoy a lot of my job duties, I really love the people I work with. I have wonderful coworkers, and my boss is one of the kindest people I've ever met. I think having a good boss really makes all the difference in fostering a positive work environment. I should add I had a lovely going away party, and was so happy to receive a gift card to Pink Sorbet from my coworkers as a going away present.   I have four classes in the Fall, and I feel like it will be a hard semester. So, all the more reason to enjoy every single second of this summer.   I have more summer plans to share soon. Happy Friday Eve!

MANcation 2015 + My Big News!

We just got back from an absolutely wonderful week of traveling. We saw several baseball games, and Nick went fishing on Lake Erie, hence the name "MANcation." We started out last Friday in Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh was a lot nicer and prettier than I thought it would be. We enjoyed a weekend of eating and seeing baseball games with some of our good friends. One of my best friends, Marcia, and her husband joined us from Ohio. Marcia and I saw a lot of each other when she lived in SC, and I was sad last year when she relocated for work.  

//Pittsburgh-surprisingly beautiful//   We spent the rest of our trip in Ohio. We visited with John and Marcia, and got to see their new house. Marcia and I enjoyed being ladies of leisure. We had massages, pedicures, lunch, and saw The Longest Ride. It was so good, y'all.  

 //Lake Erie//

 

We also spent a few days in Cleveland. It was COLD! We saw two Cardinals games, and went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I definitely recommend seeing the Hall of Fame. The Herb Ritts exhibit they have right now is amazing! We also had a great dinner at Wilberts.

 

//Freezing, but happy to be together!//

 

Now for my big (to me) news! I have turned in my resignation and will be leaving my job. I have been at my job for three years last week, and have been pretty happy here. However, my graduate program requires a clinical this summer, and obviously I cannot be in two places at once. I have very mixed emotions, one being that I am thrilled to be cutting down on my stress level.

 

One semester I had an evening class. I would leave home around 7:30 am, work all day, go to class at 5:30 pm and not get home until around 8:00 pm that night. It was too much. I have had many many long days since starting this program. I don't say that to complain, I am ready to make sacrifices. I am happy to be in this program at all. How many people can say they are doing something they've always wanted to do?

 

I will share more about this big change and my plans soon!

 



 //Happy for a great semester//

Happy Monday! Thanks so much for reading.